Did you know that 80 per cent of dogs will experience some kind of doggy dental drama by the time they are two years old? That’s a lot of pooches, right? Since I’m sure you don’t want your canine companion to suffer from nasty problems like stinky breath and swollen gums, we’ve decided to dig up a few tips so you and your pooch can say goodbye to these painful problems and hello to gleaming pearly whites and sweet-smelling breath!
What else have we served up on a pooch platter for you this issue? Well, since our Kids Club mailbag is simply bursting at the seams, we’ve decided to dedicate one whole page to your letters, poems and happy snaps. We love getting mail from you though, so keep ’em coming!
Flick over to page xx and you’ll also find the fur-tastic prizes that are up for grabs, as well as a super-cool quiz and fun facts for you to enjoy!
Bye for now…

Natasha Saroca
Kids Club Coordinator

 

Note from Dr Katrina Warren

PET TIPS FROM CELEBRITY VET DR KATRINA WARREN

Each issue of Dogs Life, Dr Katrina shares some fabulous advice on doggy health and pet care - from winter warming ideas to health, nutrition and exercise tips. Check out the current edition of Dogs Life for her latest pet-friendly tips!

Keep em Clean

 Do you ever clean your pooch’s teeth? If not, it sounds like you need to brush up on how and why it’s important to keep your pet’s pearly whites and gums in tip-top shape. So, with national Pet Dental Health Month coming up in August, we thought we’d give you a quick lesson in Doggy Dental Care...

Does your pooch have bad breath? What about red, swollen or bleeding gums? These are signs of dental disease, so it might be a good idea to take your dog to your vet for a dental check-up and clean.
·    The doggy dental experts recommend that pet owners clean their pooch’s teeth at least once a day to prevent a build-up of plaque, tartar and any other nasty bacteria found in your dog’s mouth. While this job is best left to the grown-ups, you can help by making sure your parents have the correct tools for the task, including a doggy toothpaste and toothbrush. Never use human toothpaste as it is harmful for dogs.
·    A hearty and healthy diet is also the key to keeping your dog’s teeth clean and breath fresh. Some kibble is specially formulated to clean your dog’s teeth while he’s happily chewing away. Hard rubber chew toys can also have the same tooth-scrubbing effect.
·    And, most importantly, remember to take your pooch to your vet for regular dental checks and cleaning. Goodbye smelly doggy breath and hello furry freshness!

The world’s favourite puppy, Spot, iscelebrating his birthday — and just how old is the lovable pooch going to be? Well, since Spot was ‘born’ in 1980, that makes him 30!

DL Kids Club has one Spot prize pack to giveaway, flick to page 92 in the mag to find out how to enter!

Top 10 Smartest Breeds

#1 Border Collie

Like many intelligent breeds, the Border Collie needs a job to do.  If they don't have a purpose in life or some kind of job, they will not be happy.

#2 German Shepherd

German Shepherds are extremely intelligent, courageous, and have a very strong protective instinct.

#3 Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever personifies everything we love about dogs-loyal, loving, patient, great with children and eager to please. 

#5 Doberman Pinscher
Dobermans are an extremely loyal, assertive, and fearless breed.  They love to work they are known as a dominant breed, but Dobermans be quite gentle.

#6 Shetland Sheepdog
 Shelties were originally bred to herd hundreds of sheep and cattle, requiring great concentration and intelligence. 

Sambo rocks!

Dear Dogs Life,
My name is Shari and I have a six-year-old Lhasa Apso cross Poodle. His name is Sambo and I got him when I was in kindergarten — we’re heaps close. I’ve taught him lots of tricks and now he performs in front of our friends. I feed him every night and take him for walks. I LOVE SAMBO!!!
Shari, 11, Qld 

Crazy canine!

Hi, my name’s Rebekah. My dog is named Jack and he is a crazy dog! He has lots of energy and when he gets too excited his eyes go bright red. He can also do lots of tricks. But Jack also has a sooky side to him, he is so funny. I love him very much.
Rebekah

Are you creative or have something to bark about?

Then we would love to hear from you! Send your letters, drawings and super-cute snaps to dogslife@universalmagazines.com.au with the subject heading "Kids Club BarkBack/ Doggy Tracks" or mail them to Kids Club/Dogs Life, Locked Bag 154, North Ryde NSW 1670, and they may be edited and published in the magazine or even right here on our website! Get your creative juices flowing cause we can't wait to see your masterpieces!

 Fun furry stuff!

  Fact of the month:

Dogs chew up your underwear because it smells like you!

Barking brilliant jokes:

Q: How does a pup stop a DVD?

A:By pressing the "paws" button!

Q: Why did the dog carry the clock?
A:Because it wanted to be the watch dog!

True or false?

 

Are you a top dog at canine trivia? If so, then let's put your knowledge to the test!

1. The Field Spaniel, one of the oldest British spaniel breeds, nearly died out by the 1940s.
2. The Mastiff is the biggest dog in the world.
3. The United States has the largest dog population in the world with approximately just over a whooping 61 million pooches!
4. Dalmatian puppies are born with their super cute spots!
5. The most popular dog breed in Australia last year was the German Shepard, followed by the Labrador Retriever and then the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
6. Giving chocolate to dogs can make them really sick or can even be fatal.
7. Approximately 53 per cent of families in Australia own a dog.
8. The Chihuahua was named after Miguel Chihuahua, a Mexican man who first discovered the breed in the 1800s.
9. Dogs all have unique nose prints, just like humans can be distinguished by their finger prints.
10. Basenji dogs are the only breed that can’t bark — they yodel instead!
    

How do you think you went? Check if you're right below...

 

Games, puzzles and other fun stuff

DOG BREED FIND-A-WORD

Download a PDF of the Word Find  

DOGGY CROSSWORD by Sarah Martin

Download a PDF of the Crossword (with answers)   

True or False answers:

1. T 2. F (No, it’s the Irish Wolfhound!) 3. T 4. F (False, Dalmatians are born completely white!) 5. F (Wrong! The Labrador Retriever was the top pooch for 2008, followed by the German Shepard and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) 6. T 7. T 8. F (No, the Chihuahua is named after the Mexican state Chihuahua!) 9. T 10. T